Calif. Green Companies Vye For Big Awards

A total of 40 companies, including giants like Tesla Motors and Google, have garnered nominations for the title of Clean Tech Innovator of 2011. Of the nominees, announced by Grow-California, in a recent press release, 15 of the nominees will receive “Game-Changer of the Year” awards.

The award ceremony will take place at the first Clean Tech Innovation Conference on Nov. 2nd and 3rd at the Kaiser Center in downtown Oakland. The “Top 40” companies were nominated by the conference’s host committee, as well as dozens of other California-based professional services firms, suppliers, investors, banks and academia who identified clean tech companies that were distinguished from competitors because of their focus on innovation and important contributions to California’s economic growth.

Additional nominees include a wide range of green tech companies from solar power installation companies, to electric hybrid car makers and biotechnology companies. Other recognizable names include Fisker Automotive based in Anaheim, Sungevity in Oakland and Project Frog from San Francisco.

Kristy Hessman is a writer and native Oregonian who currently resides in California. Before starting her own company, she worked as a reporter covering business and politics for daily newspapers and The Associated Press.